Rivers: A Very Short Introduction


Book Description

Rivers have played an extraordinarily important role in creating the world in which we live. They create landscapes and provide water to people, plants and animals, nourishing both town and country. The flow of rivers has enthused poets and painters, explorers and pilgrims. Rivers have acted as cradles for civilization and agents of disaster; a river may be a barrier or a highway, it can bear trade and sediment, culture and conflict. A river may inspire or it may terrify. This Very Short Introduction is a celebration of rivers in all their diversity. Nick Middleton covers a wide and eclectic range of river-based themes, from physical geography to mythology, to industrial history and literary criticism. Worshipped and revered, respected and feared, rivers reflect both the natural and social history of our planet. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.




The ideal river


Book Description

Environmental politics has traditionally been a peripheral concern for international relations theory, but increasing alarm over global environmental challenges has elevated international society’s relationship with the natural world into the theoretical limelight. IR theory’s engagement with environmental politics, however, has largely focused on interstate cooperation in the late twentieth century, with less attention paid to how the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century quest to tame nature came to shape the modern international order. The ideal river examines nineteenth-century efforts to establish international commissions on three transboundary rivers – the Rhine, the Danube, and the Congo. It charts how the Enlightenment ambition to tame the natural world, and human nature itself, became an international standard for rational and civilized authority and informed our geographical imagination of the international. This relationship of domination over nature shaped three core IR concepts central to the emergence of early international order: the territorial sovereign state; imperial hierarchies; and international organizations. The book contributes to environmental politics and international relations by highlighting how the relationship between society and nature is not a peripheral concern, but one at the heart of international politics.




Taming the River


Book Description

Building on their important findings in The Source of the River, the authors now probe even more deeply into minority underachievement at the college level. Taming the River examines the academic and social dynamics of different ethnic groups during the first two years of college. Focusing on racial differences in academic performance, the book identifies the causes of students' divergent grades and levels of personal satisfaction with their institutions. Using survey data collected from twenty-eight selective colleges and universities, Taming the River considers all facets of student life, including who students date, what fields they major in, which sports they play, and how they perceive their own social and economic backgrounds. The book explores how black and Latino students experience pressures stemming from campus racial climate and "stereotype threat"--when students underperform because of anxieties tied to existing negative stereotypes. Describing the relationship between grade performance and stereotype threat, the book shows how this link is reinforced by institutional practices of affirmative action. The authors also indicate that when certain variables are controlled, minority students earn the same grades, express the same college satisfaction, and remain in school at the same rates as white students. A powerful look at how educational policies unfold in America's universities, Taming the River sheds light on the social and racial factors influencing student success.




River of No Return


Book Description




The Unquiet River


Book Description

The unruly Brahmaputra has always been an agent in shaping both the landscape of its valley and the livelihoods of its inhabitants. But how much do we know of this river’s rich past? Historian Arupjyoti Saikia’s biography of the Brahmaputra reimagines the layered history of Assam with the unquiet river at the centre. The book combines a range of disciplinary scholarship to unravel the geological forces as well as human endeavour which have shaped the river into what it is today. Wonderfully illuminated with archival detail and interwoven with narratives and striking connections, the book allows the reader to imagine the Brahmaputra’s course in history. This evocative and compelling book will be interesting reading for anyone trying to understand the past and the present of a river confronted by the twenty-first century’s ambitious infrastructural designs to further re-engineer the river and its landscape.







Federalism and Inter-State River Water Disputes in India


Book Description

This book examines the Union-State and inter-State relations concerning water issues in India. It analyses the federal structure in India and looks at its effectiveness in addressing the inter-state river water disputes in the country through three cases: the Cauvery, Krishna and Mahadayi Rivers water dispute. It probes into the physical, political, legal and constitutional measures taken by the Union government and the states to deal with the inter-State and Union-State tussles over inter-State river waters. The author studies the debate over centralisation and decentralisation of water resources, as well as the inter-state river water disputes that have aroused feelings of sub-nationalism in many regions of India. Finally, this book also examines socio-political tensions over multipurpose water projects and other supply-side infrastructures, and their efficacy in addressing India’s increasing water problems. This book will interest researchers and students of Environmental Politics, Political Science, Public Policy, Environmental Geography, Indian Politics, South Asian Studies, Environmental Economics, Environmental Policy, River Management, and Resource politics.







Open Channel Hydraulics, River Hydraulic Structures and Fluvial Geomorphology


Book Description

This book presents practical hydraulic and river engineering research along with fluvial geomorphological concepts, and links the theoretical and practical knowledge of people working every day with rivers, streams, and hydraulic structures to fluvial geomorphology. Besides providing a guide for professionals, this book also provides material for students to acquire the knowledge and skills to rehabilitate rivers, streams, and waterways.




THE MIND CODE


Book Description

We perceive and interact with the outside world, but only in the context of how our minds and intellects interpret it. Only through our minds can the outer world reach us and cause us to smile in happiness or cry in sadness. Our emotions, interpersonal interactions, and decision-making are all impacted by our mental health, which affects how we think, feel, and act. Stress management, resilience building, and overcoming obstacles in life are all facilitated by good mental health. The world is, as our mind is. Therefore, mental development and control are of utmost importance. Finding a mind that is unaffected by its interaction with fluctuation is truly unusual. like heat, which cannot exist without fire. But most people let their minds wander and follow their own sweet wills and desires. It wanders and is erratic, like a poorly trained animal or a spoiled child who receives excessive indulgence from their parents. But there is nothing to feel any guilt sort of thing because it is normal. It is the very nature of the mind; everyone is facing the mind like that only. But, yes, it is not good a thing to be led by it compulsively. It unnecessarily creates a lot of mental stress and mental health problems. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like that only. We can make conscious efforts to understand the mind, establish some control over it, and bring some order into it for a better life. And the good thing is, it is possible, the nature of the mind can be changed. It's crucial to understand that mindsets have a crucial role in behavior and health, rather than being merely incidental. Real happiness is not found in positions of power or material wealth. Happiness is the result of a pure, peaceful, and controlled mind. It is the mind which is the source of both our pleasure and misery. Although these are common occurrences for us, we don't classify them as significant. We frequently overlook the reality that our thoughts, mindsets, and aspirations are influencing our lives. Every human action can be explained in terms of the 'mind' that causes it. Every action that results from the mind, has at least two components—the physical and the mental. We have to strive to keep a balance between the two to act effectively. When the mind and body cooperate without overwhelming one another, it becomes "spiritual" in the process. The nature of the human mind is a bit challenging to comprehend because it is hidden and nuanced. But if you make an effort to know about the mind and how to manipulate it, you can shape it in whatever way you like. Even science validates the possibility of rewiring the brain. It is plastic and incredibly malleable. Understandably, every study ought to contain both a theoretical and a practical component. The intellect tries to settle for the theory alone, but the actual perception of the truth that the theory contains is bigger and more magnificent. Success comes from applying the sermons, not just hearing them. This book covers the psychological, philosophical, and Spiritual aspects of Mind management. This is a guidebook containing techniques and practical exercises. Working on these guidelines, you will learn how to have mind control for a growth mindset, and peace of mind, control negative thoughts, and master your emotions. It is basically all about mental health and improving the state of mind. This book contains the Universal Secrets that govern every area of life. Remember, one who conquers the mind conquers the world. So, let’s make the best use of the opportunity here to understand various aspects of the mind and the way to harness it.